Best Course Platforms for Non-English Courses

The online course industry generates billions of dollars annually, but the vast majority of platform reviews, tutorials, and guides are written for English-speaking creators selling to English-speaking audiences. If your courses are in Spanish, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Arabic, French, Hindi, or any other language, your needs are different — and finding the right platform requires looking at features that most reviews ignore.

This guide examines the major course platforms through the lens of non-English course creation. We cover interface localization, character encoding, RTL (right-to-left) language support, local payment options, and the practical realities of running a course business in a non-English market.

What to look for in a platform for non-English courses

Before comparing platforms, let us define what “non-English support” actually means in practice. There are several layers:

1. Course content language — Can you upload videos, text, and PDFs in your language? (Almost always yes.)
2. Student-facing interface — Are buttons, menus, navigation labels, system messages, and emails available in your language?
3. Character and script support — Does the platform handle Unicode correctly for scripts like CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean), Cyrillic, Arabic, Devanagari, and others?
4. RTL layout — For Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, and other right-to-left languages, does the interface render correctly?
5. Local payment methods — Can students pay with methods popular in your region (Boleto in Brazil, iDEAL in the Netherlands, UPI in India)?
6. Localized pricing — Can you display prices in your students’ local currency?
7. Localized emails — Can transactional emails (purchase confirmations, drip emails, certificates) be sent in your language?

Most platforms handle layer 1 fine — your content can be in any language. The differences emerge in layers 2 through 7.

Platform comparison

We evaluate five platforms that are commonly used by non-English creators: Thinkific, Teachable, Kajabi, LearnWorlds, and Podia.

Thinkific

Thinkific is one of the stronger choices for non-English course creators, mainly because of its site-level language settings and multi-currency support.

What works well

• Language settings: You can set a default language for your entire site. Thinkific provides built-in translations for many languages and lets you override any text string. This means buttons like “Start course,” “Next lesson,” and “Enroll now” can appear in your students’ language.
• Multi-currency: You can set independent prices in multiple currencies. A course might cost $49 USD, €45 EUR, and R$199 BRL — all set manually so you control the pricing in each market.
• Direct Stripe integration: You connect your own Stripe account, which means you get whatever local payment methods Stripe supports in your country.
• Course content: Full Unicode support. CJK characters, accented characters, and special scripts display correctly in course content and site pages.

Limitations

• RTL support is partial. While content displays correctly, the overall site layout does not automatically flip for RTL languages. Creators teaching in Arabic or Hebrew may need CSS customizations.
• Community features are relatively new and may not have the same level of localization as the core course platform.

Teachable

Teachable is one of the most popular course platforms worldwide, but its non-English support has historically lagged behind competitors.

What works well

• Course content: Like all platforms, your actual course content (videos, text, downloads) can be in any language with full Unicode support.
• Integrated payments: Teachable Payments simplifies setup — you do not need to configure a separate payment processor.
• Course player: The student experience is clean and professional, which translates well across cultures.

Limitations

• Interface language: Teachable’s platform interface is primarily in English. While you can edit button text and some interface elements through the page editor, there is no built-in site-wide language selector. System-generated text (error messages, password reset emails, certain navigation elements) may remain in English.
• Multi-currency: Limited control. Your primary currency is tied to your payment setup.
• RTL: No built-in RTL support. Arabic, Hebrew, and other RTL languages require significant CSS customization.

Teachable works for non-English courses if your students are comfortable navigating a partially English interface, or if you are willing to invest time in manual customization. For a fully localized experience, other platforms offer more out of the box.

LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is a platform that has invested heavily in international features and is worth serious consideration for non-English creators.

What works well

• Comprehensive localization: LearnWorlds supports over 20 interface languages. The student-facing UI — course player, navigation, buttons, and system messages — can be fully translated.
• RTL support: LearnWorlds has better RTL support than most competitors. Arabic and Hebrew course sites render more naturally, though you should still test your specific setup.
• Interactive content: The platform’s interactive video features (in-video questions, bookmarks, transcripts) work well across languages. Transcripts can be added in any language.
• Multi-currency: LearnWorlds supports multiple currencies and local pricing.
• Built-in community and social learning features that can be localized.

Limitations

• Pricing: LearnWorlds tends to be pricier than Thinkific or Teachable at comparable feature levels. Check current pricing on their website.
• Learning curve: The platform is feature-rich, which means a steeper learning curve for beginners.
• Marketplace: LearnWorlds does not have a built-in course marketplace like some competitors, so all traffic comes from your own marketing.

Kajabi

Kajabi positions itself as an all-in-one platform for knowledge entrepreneurs. It bundles course creation, website building, email marketing, and sales funnels.

What works well

• All-in-one simplicity: If you want one tool instead of three, Kajabi combines your course platform, email tool, and website builder. This means fewer integration headaches.
• Course content: Full Unicode support for content in any language.
• Email marketing: Built-in email marketing means your email templates can be written in your language from the start.

Limitations

• Interface language: Kajabi’s platform interface is primarily in English. There is no built-in multi-language support for the student-facing UI.
• Price: Kajabi is one of the more expensive options. There is no free plan.
• Multi-currency: Limited compared to Thinkific or LearnWorlds.
• RTL: No built-in RTL support.

Kajabi can work for non-English courses if you primarily need the all-in-one value proposition and your audience can navigate an English-language interface. For fully localized experiences, other platforms are stronger choices.

Podia

Podia is known for its simplicity and creator-friendly pricing. It supports courses, digital downloads, webinars, and communities in one platform.

What works well

• Simplicity: Podia has one of the easiest learning curves of any course platform.
• Bundled features: Community, courses, and digital downloads are included without needing separate tools.
• Good basic Unicode support for content in any language.

Limitations

• Interface localization: Limited. The student-facing interface is primarily in English with minimal translation options.
• Multi-currency: Limited control over per-currency pricing.
• RTL: No built-in RTL support.
• Advanced features: Podia’s simplicity is also its limitation — if you need interactive videos, advanced quizzes, or detailed analytics, you may outgrow it.

Podia is a reasonable choice for non-English creators who value simplicity and whose audience does not mind an English-language interface.

Regional considerations

Latin America (Spanish, Portuguese)

Latin American course markets are growing rapidly, particularly in Brazil (Portuguese) and Spanish-speaking countries. Key considerations:

• Payment methods: Boleto Bancário is essential for Brazil; installment payments (parcelamento) are expected. Check whether your platform’s Stripe integration supports these.
• Pricing: Students in Latin America are price-sensitive compared to US or European markets. Multi-currency pricing is important so you can set appropriate local prices.
• Recommendation: Thinkific or LearnWorlds tend to serve this market best due to their localization and currency features.

Europe (German, French, Spanish, Italian, and more)

European creators face VAT compliance requirements and a multilingual audience. Key considerations:

• VAT: You must collect and remit VAT for digital sales to EU consumers. Check each platform’s tax handling capabilities.
• GDPR: Ensure your platform’s data handling complies with European privacy regulations.
• Currency: Euro pricing is expected, but UK buyers want GBP, Swiss buyers want CHF, and Scandinavian buyers want their local currencies.
• Recommendation: Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer the best balance of localization, currency, and tax features for European creators.

Middle East and North Africa (Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi)

RTL language support is the critical differentiator here:

• RTL: LearnWorlds has the best built-in RTL support. Thinkific can work with CSS customization.
• Payment: Stripe’s availability varies across the region. Check availability in your specific country.
• Recommendation: LearnWorlds for the best RTL experience; Thinkific as an alternative with some custom work.

Asia (Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Hindi, and more)

CJK character support and local payment methods matter here:

• Character support: All major platforms handle CJK characters correctly in content. Check interface elements as well.
• Payments: Local methods like UPI (India), Alipay/WeChat Pay (China), and convenience store payments (Japan) may require specific integrations.
• Recommendation: Thinkific or LearnWorlds for their broader localization; consider whether you need a regionally specific platform for markets like China or Japan.

Our recommendation

For most non-English course creators, we recommend starting with one of these two:

1. Thinkific — Best overall balance of localization, multi-currency pricing, 0% transaction fees, and flexibility. Start with the free plan to test it.

2. LearnWorlds — Best for creators who need comprehensive localization (20+ languages) and RTL support. Better for creators who need interactive features. Higher price point.

If you primarily teach in a European language and your audience is comfortable with some English in the interface, Teachable remains a solid option due to its simplicity and strong course player.

The most important step is to sign up for a free trial on your top two choices and test them with your actual content and your audience’s language. Upload a sample lesson, go through the student enrollment flow, and check every email and interface element in your language.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create a course in any language on these platforms?

Yes. All platforms support course content (videos, text, PDFs, downloads) in any language. The difference is in the student-facing interface — navigation, buttons, system emails, and the course player UI. Some platforms let you translate these elements; others are fixed in English.

Which platform is best for Arabic courses?

LearnWorlds currently has the best right-to-left (RTL) language support among mainstream course platforms. Thinkific can also work for Arabic courses with some CSS customization. Teachable and Kajabi have minimal RTL support.

Do I need to worry about character encoding for Japanese or Chinese courses?

Modern course platforms handle Unicode correctly, so CJK characters display fine in course content. However, check the interface elements — lesson titles, section headers, and course descriptions with CJK characters — to make sure they render properly in navigation and search.

Can I accept payments in local currencies like BRL, EUR, or INR?

Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer the most flexibility for multi-currency pricing. With Thinkific, you connect your own Stripe account and can set per-currency prices. Available currencies depend on what Stripe supports in your country. PayPal is also an option on most platforms.

What about VAT for European customers?

If you sell digital products to consumers in the EU, you are generally required to collect and remit VAT. Platform-level tax handling varies — some platforms offer automated collection, others require third-party integrations. Check each platform's current tax features and consult a tax professional for your situation.

Can I run my course in multiple languages on the same platform?

Most platforms support one primary language per site/school. If you want to offer the same course in both English and Spanish, you would typically create two separate courses or use a platform with multi-language site support. Thinkific and LearnWorlds handle this better than most.